Bally’s partners WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury to enter Arizona gaming market
1st July 2021 8:28 am GMT
New York-listed gaming operator Bally's Corporation has entered into a ground-breaking partnership with women’s professional basketball team Phoenix Mercury.
The agreement marks the operator’s first market access deal with a professional US women's sports team and gives Bally's a path into Arizona, which is expected to open its regulated sports betting market in September.
The deal will see Bally's officially designated as the exclusive sports betting partner of the Phoenix Mercury for the next 15 years.
Subject to Phoenix Mercury's receipt of a mobile sports betting license from the Arizona Department of Gaming, Bally's will host and manage an online and mobile sports betting service in Arizona, as well as a retail sportsbook in the vicinity of the Phoenix Suns Arena.
“On behalf of the entire Bally's Corporation, we are honored to be a part of such an important milestone in the history of women's sports,” said Bally's Corporation chairman Soo Kim. “Maintaining and implementing a strong diversity, equity and inclusion program is a cornerstone of Bally's operational values, and we look forward to promoting those values as part of our sponsorship with the Phoenix Mercury and hope that other major corporations follow in our footsteps.
“We are also excited about the prospect of providing sports fans in Arizona with access to our first-in-class online sports betting platform, and enhancing the way that they engage with their favorite sports pastimes.”
Phoenix Mercury CEO and president Jason Rowley commented: “We are very excited to partner with Bally's on this enormous step forward in the advancement of women's sports. This agreement represents so much more than a team sponsorship; it is a reflection of our shared values and commitment to investing in diversity, equity and inclusion.
“We could not think of a better way to celebrate the Mercury's 25th year in the WNBA, and what many consider to be the model franchise.”
“Bally's and the Phoenix Mercury strongly believe that a ground-breaking partnership of this magnitude accelerates the momentum surrounding women's sports, creates a bigger platform for the Mercury, while delivering fan engagement on an unprecedented scale in women's sports,” added Rowley.
Shares in Bally’s Corporation (NYS:BALY) gained 1.25 per cent to close at $54.11 per share in New York Wednesday.
